The Verdict (1946 film)
Encyclopedia
The Verdict is a 1946
film-noir drama directed by Don Siegel
and written by Israel Zangwill
and Peter Milne, based on Zangwill's novel The Big Bow Mystery. The film stars Sydney Greenstreet
and Peter Lorre
in one of their nine film pairings, as well as Joan Lorring
and George Coulouris
. Ian Wolfe
has a bit part as the jury foreman. The Verdict was Siegel's first full-length feature film. Sidney Lumet
's 1982 film by the same name
is not related to this film.
who makes a mistake in an investigation that causes the execution of an innocent man. He takes the blame for his error and is dismissed from his position as superintendent and replaced by the obnoxious and gloating John Buckley (George Coulouris
). Soured by the turn of events, Grodman sets out to make Buckley look too inept to perform his new job. He enlists the aid of his macabre artist friend, Victor Emmric, played by Peter Lorre, and when a mysterious murder occurs, they realize their chance to ruin Buckley may have arrived.
The film is based on the short novel The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill
, which is a classic "locked room" mystery story. The ending has been somewhat changed from Zangwill's, and in some ways it is the most moving conclusion of any of the films that Greenstreet and Lorre appeared in together (the conclusion of The Mask of Demetrios is a close second).
The original novel was influenced by the 1887 murder of Miriam Angel by Israel Lipski
, which was a locked room killing (by poison), as well as the horrible murder of Mary Jane Kelly
by Jack the Ripper
in Whitechapel of 1888. However, neither the novel's nor the movie's solution is based on either real-life murder.
1946 in film
The year 1946 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*November 21 - William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives premieres in New York featuring an ensemble cast including Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, and Harold Russell.*December 20 - Frank Capra's It's a...
film-noir drama directed by Don Siegel
Don Siegel
Donald Siegel was an influential American film director and producer. His name variously appeared in the credits of his films as both Don Siegel and Donald Siegel.-Early life:...
and written by Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill was a British humorist and writer.-Biography:Zangwill was born in London on January 21, 1864 in a family of Jewish immigrants from Czarist Russia, to Moses Zangwill from what is now Latvia and Ellen Hannah Marks Zangwill from what is now Poland. He dedicated his life to championing...
and Peter Milne, based on Zangwill's novel The Big Bow Mystery. The film stars Sydney Greenstreet
Sydney Greenstreet
Sydney Hughes Greenstreet was an English actor. He is best known for his Warner Bros. films with Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre, which include The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca .-Biography:...
and Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
in one of their nine film pairings, as well as Joan Lorring
Joan Lorring
Joan Lorring is a Hong Kong-born American actress.-Early life:Lorring fled with her mother in 1939 following the Japanese invasion...
and George Coulouris
George Coulouris
George Coulouris was a prominent English film and stage actor.-Early life:Coulouris was born in Manchester, England, the son of Abigail and Nicholas Coulouris, a merchant of Greek origin. He was brought up both in Manchester and nearby Urmston and was educated at Manchester Grammar School...
. Ian Wolfe
Ian Wolfe
Ian Wolfe was an American actor whose films date from 1934 to 1990. Until 1934, he worked as a theatre actor. Wolfe mostly found work as a character actor, appearing in over 270 films...
has a bit part as the jury foreman. The Verdict was Siegel's first full-length feature film. Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his credit. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict...
's 1982 film by the same name
The Verdict
The Verdict is a 1982 courtroom drama film which tells the story of a down-on-his-luck alcoholic lawyer who pushes a medical malpractice case in order to improve his own situation, but discovers along the way that he is doing the right thing. Since the lawsuit involves a woman in a persistent...
is not related to this film.
Plot
Greenstreet portrays George Edward Grodman, a respected superintendent at Scotland YardScotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
who makes a mistake in an investigation that causes the execution of an innocent man. He takes the blame for his error and is dismissed from his position as superintendent and replaced by the obnoxious and gloating John Buckley (George Coulouris
George Coulouris
George Coulouris was a prominent English film and stage actor.-Early life:Coulouris was born in Manchester, England, the son of Abigail and Nicholas Coulouris, a merchant of Greek origin. He was brought up both in Manchester and nearby Urmston and was educated at Manchester Grammar School...
). Soured by the turn of events, Grodman sets out to make Buckley look too inept to perform his new job. He enlists the aid of his macabre artist friend, Victor Emmric, played by Peter Lorre, and when a mysterious murder occurs, they realize their chance to ruin Buckley may have arrived.
The film is based on the short novel The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill was a British humorist and writer.-Biography:Zangwill was born in London on January 21, 1864 in a family of Jewish immigrants from Czarist Russia, to Moses Zangwill from what is now Latvia and Ellen Hannah Marks Zangwill from what is now Poland. He dedicated his life to championing...
, which is a classic "locked room" mystery story. The ending has been somewhat changed from Zangwill's, and in some ways it is the most moving conclusion of any of the films that Greenstreet and Lorre appeared in together (the conclusion of The Mask of Demetrios is a close second).
The original novel was influenced by the 1887 murder of Miriam Angel by Israel Lipski
Israel Lipski
Israel Lipski born Israel Lobulsk, was a convicted murderer of Polish-Jewish descent living in the East End of London. Lipski worked as an umbrella stick salesman, employing Harry Schmuss and Henry Rosenbloom...
, which was a locked room killing (by poison), as well as the horrible murder of Mary Jane Kelly
Mary Jane Kelly
Mary Jane Kelly , also known as "Marie Jeanette" Kelly, "Fair Emma", "Ginger" and "Black Mary", is widely believed to be the fifth and final victim of the notorious unidentified serial killer Jack the Ripper, who killed and mutilated prostitutes in the Whitechapel area of London from late August to...
by Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
in Whitechapel of 1888. However, neither the novel's nor the movie's solution is based on either real-life murder.